1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for scraping a material off of a substrate, and particularly relates to hand-held scrapers especially adapted to scrape off paint, varnish, rust, and other deposits from surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hand-held scrapers are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,414 of Stecker discloses a paint scraper which employs a resilient sheet metal strip bent back over itself to form a handle for carrying a blade. The alignment of an operator's shoulder, arm, wrist, and hand would vary as the scraping angle between the blade and the surface being scraped would vary. With such an arrangement, undue stress my be experienced by the operator's wrist resulting in premature wrist fatigue.
Each of U.S. Pat. No. Des. 274,148 of Levy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,254 of Bell, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 305,818 of Chen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,324 of Farris, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,009 of Stinson discloses a paint scraper having a blade with a single fixed slant angle with respect to a rigid handle. To scrape a surface at different scraping angles, the alignment of an operator's shoulder, arm, wrist, and hand would vary as the scraping angle between the blade and the surface being scraped would vary. Once again, such an arrangement may result in premature wrist fatigue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,661 of Tsals et al discloses a powered paint scraper that has a blade having a single slant angle with respect to a handle. Although the blade is powered to move longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle, to scrape surface at different scraping angles, the alignment of an operator's shoulder, arm, wrist, and hand would vary as the scraping angle between the blade and the surface being scraped would vary, and wrist fatigue may prematurely result.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use hand-held scrapers, the provision of a simple and cost effective device is not contemplated in the prior art that permits the alignment of an operator's shoulder, arm, wrist, and hand to remain constant as the scraping angle between the blade and the surface being scraped would vary. Moreover, the prior art does not disclose a hand-held scraper that permits the operator to carry out a consistent scraping action using the upper shoulder and upper arm muscles in straight push-pull actions, even though different scraping angles are employed. Furthermore, the prior art does not provide a scraper designed to reduce wrist fatigue. The foregoing disadvantages are overcome by the unique scraper apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.